At The Beginning
by pyr0technic
Summary: Ash had always liked Misty back in his own, oblivious way. — Pokeshipping.
1. we were strangers

**A/N: **ok i RLY shouldn't be starting a new fanfic when i've got so many unfinished ones AND I HAVE LIKE SO MUCH MORE HOMEWORK AND IT'S ALREADY 11:06 PM BUT I HAD POKESHIPPPING FEELS WHEN I HEARD THIS SONG SO TAKE THIS OK AND REVIEW AND I'LL FINISH IT

* * *

**At The Beginning**

_i: we were strangers, starting out on a_ _journey_

* * *

"I still think you're being a big jerk."

Ash heard her rumble a growl before turning over in her sleeping bag with her back to him.

"Well, sorry if I think bug pokemon are gross!"

He sighed in aggravation, knowing he'd probably never get through to her. Instead of coming up with a nasty retort, he opted to idly stroke Pikachu's back - only to find that he was absent from the spot next to him.

A glance to the side told him Pikachu was instead sitting upon the tree stump that separated Ash and Misty's sleeping bags. He appeared to be comforting Caterpie, who had caught Misty's comment and was further saddened.

Ash felt a surge of indigance flare through him. How dare she hurt his pokemon like that! The nasty retort he had bit back down suddenly came tumbling out of his mouth.

"That doesn't mean you have to hurt Caterpie's feelings!" Ash insisted, and he felt the venom leaking into his words. He never liked seeing other people upset. He especially hated the bullies that caused the grief in the first place.

"Look," Misty snarled, ready for a fight, "Just keep it in its pokeball and away from me. I don't like it and that's that. Now quit _whining_ and get back to sleep."

His eyes widened and he retreated for a moment, genuinely frightened by the pure malice in her tone. Then, he snapped out of it. She was still the same old bully that kept hurting Caterpie's feelings! She didn't deserve any of _his_ respect.

"I can sleep whenever I want," Ash found himself saying. He didn't even care that he sounded like a two-year-old, he just wanted that girl off his _back_. "And no one told you to come with me anyway! You can leave whenever you want."

This seemed to catch Misty off guard, and she flushed slightly while fumbling for an appropriate answer. "I _can't_ because you still owe me a _bike_ you loser!" She bit her lip and turned over, still smarting from his blatant indifference (or apparently, dislike) of her presence.

"I _said_ I'll pay you back!"

"And you're beginning to sound like a broken record."

"So are you."

"... Just go to sleep."

-x-

The next morning, Ash awoke to sunlight caressing his face. Cracking a smile, he sat up and stretched, welcoming the refreshed feeling that came with a good night's sleep. Ah yes, just another day on his quest to become Pokemon master...

Misty stomped on the firewood, putting out what little embers had been left.

Ash cringed at the noise and gave her a disturbed look. "Geez, d'ya have to be so loud?"

Misty only glared. She seemed ready to say something, but Pikachu awoke at that moment. He let out a small cry of delight when he saw Misty and immediately bounded over to hop onto her shoulder.

"Augh..." Ash sweatdropped and sunk to the ground in defeat at his own pokemon's behavior. What Pikachu saw in Misty, Ash would never understand.

After washing his face with some of the cloths his mom had packed him, he slung his backpack onto his shoulder and stood before Misty and Pikachu, who seemed to have quite the conversation going.

"I hate to _interrupt_, but we're leaving now." Ash grabbed Pikachu and held him protectively as he turned away from Misty and began walking the opposite direction.

Of course, Misty followed.

"This is so unfair," Ash complained, making a face at the girl next to him. "I didn't even ask for this. Why are you here?"

Misty smirked at him confidently with her hands on her hips, a very different reaction from last night. "It seems like your little pikachu wants me here."

"What?!" Ash glared down at the yellow mouse, watching him sheepishly shrug in reaction. "Whatever," he finally dismissed.

"Besides," Misty muttered, voice barely audible, "I've got nowhere else to go."

-x-

By the time they got to Cerulean City, Misty was beginning to get desperate.

"Viridian City is so much better! And there's this super romantic sunset you can watch from the cliffside... let's go, please!" She didn't care if she seemed desperate at this point, really.

Ash and his new travelling companion, Brock, both gave her strange looks. It was Ash who burst out into laughter afterwards.

"Like I care about a romantic sunset," he said in his boyish voice, grinning meanly at Misty. "I'm gonna get my Cascade Badge if it's the last thing I do! 'Cause I wanna be a Pokemon Master!"

And he bound off in the other direction, cockiness and arrogance practically emanating from each step. Pikachu followed obediently, determined like Ash to win the badge, and Brock gave a hesitant glance back at the girl he barely knew before following Ash.

"He's hopeless," Misty sighed. "I didn't want it to have to come to this, but..."

-x-

"So that's why you didn't wanna go?"

"Well... yeah!"

She kicked a rock, and it hit against the gym wall before bouncing back. Ash stared at the rock now at his feet and kicked it, watching it bound far away.

"So you left home because... you wanted to prove yourself. To your sisters." Ash spoke slowly, and rather insensitively, due to his oblivion, but Misty decided to let it slide.

"If you put it that way, I guess." Misty sighed and shrugged and watched Ash's clueless face remain clueless. "You must be an only child."

Ash's jaw dropped. "Whoa, how'd you know?"

"I'm not a Psychic, before you end up saying anything equally stupid," Misty confirmed for him, inwardly snorting at the way Ash pouted and then glared at her insult. "It's just like having rivals, I guess. Ones that you're constantly compared to and it sucks. I want to be better at something for once, and that's why I decided to leave."

Ash nodded during her explanation with a thoughtful expression, hand poised on his chin. "Yeah, I think I get it. I've got a rival, myself."

"Gary?" Misty raised her eyebrow and watched the way Ash bristled with anger at the mere name. He decided not to respond and before he even could, he could spy a certain spiky head walking in from the distance.

"Well, looks like Brock's back. But anyway, I think it's okay if you traveled with us. Our goals are kinda the same, if you think about it." Ash offered a quick grin before he ran off to greet Brock, and inquiring where he went.

Misty stood at her post for a moment, taking in what Ash had told her. Through and through all the cockiness and arrogance and _stupidity _Ash was someone was who was kind. He was someone who cared - though she had known that the moment she'd seen him with his pokemon.

And she felt herself smile.

"I got a Cascade Badge!" Ash proclaimed, flashing a victory sign as he dramatically posed in the background. She stood next to Brock and they both exchanged knowing grins at their fellow companion.

Misty didn't say much to her sisters as she left, but the parting was on a sweet note anyway. Misty left with her heart soaring with hope. She was on an adventure, and she would finally earn her spotlight!

Her daydream was interrupted, however, as Ash continued to dance around with the gem like it was most precious thing, and the bragging was enough to quickly snap Misty out of whatever new respect she had gained for Ash.

"By some miracle my sister gave it to you," Misty dismissed with a wave of the hand, "If not I would've totally gotten you!"

"As if," Ash bit back, giving in to the bait.

"If Team Rocket hadn't intervened, I would've creamed you!"

"Ha, you're lucky they showed up, you were about to lose!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Oh _yeah_!"

Brock sighed and wondered if this was going to be a regular thing.

"Oh, brother."

And Misty's sisters simply gave each other the knowing looks of "Oh yeah, that guy is totally gonna be our future brother-in-law."


	2. what we've have to go through

**A/N: **so i decided this is just gonna be a really simple fic about the the progression of ash and misty's feelings throughout kanto/orange/johto. (they both actually age, though, they're thirteen by the end.) and ah yeah, listen to the song 'at the beginning', the main inspiration! it's really good. and none of this is really mine; i'm only reinventing their already shippy scenes!

* * *

**At The Beginning**

_i: never dreaming, what we've have to go through_

* * *

"_What in Mew's name is that thing!?_"

Normally, Misty's fear would give Ash endless joy and amusement.

Unfortunately in this situation, he found himself cowering at her screech and giving in to the fear himself. Eerie ghosts with wide, open mouths and eyes begin to emerge from Maiden's Peak.

Ash immediately flipped open his pokedex. "Unknown," it informed with its robotic voice.

"Unknown!?" Ash repeated, eyes widening in disbelief.

The haunting cries of the ghosts grew louder, and Misty screamed again before securely grasping Ash's arm. Barely registering the movement, Ash glanced back down at Dexter, hoping it would spit out something more helpful.

As the ghost morphed into Ghastly, Dexter suddenly made a beep of recognition. "Ghastly. The ghost pokemon. Its specialty is hypnosis."

"Ghastly!?" the duo cried simultaneously. They gulped and exchanged nervous glances.

Team Rocket was also respectively huddled in a corner, quivering in fear of the ghost pokemon. Brock was left to stand alone, and he rolled his eyes as he realized he was the only one without a companion.

"Where'd it go?" Ash voiced in the realization that the ghost pokemon had vanished into thin air. Misty bit her tongue to hold back a worried "hmm."

With a courage he wasn't aware he had, Ash gulped and used Dexter to scan the area for the ghastly. Misty moved in time with him, hand still clutching his arm.

Neither of them really realized how much each other's comfort meant to the other.

Brock watched the rest of the scenario unfold, and he wondered just what he would have to go through travelling with these two luvdisc.

-.-

"Ah yes, that was an amazing experience," Brock told, nodding his head. Both Joy and Jenny had been there. Of course, they refused his offers to dance, but he still got to dance beside them. All in all, he rated the experience a nine out of ten.

"Hmm," Ash replied.

The two of them sat at the desk in their room at the PokeCenter. THe window was open to let the breeze in, and Ash seemed to be entranced as his gaze pierced the full moon.

"Everything okay?" Brock raised an eyebrow at the young trainer.

"Oh," Ash said, realizing he was in a daze. "I'm fine."

Brock was still doubtful, but decided to let it go. A couple more moments passed in the soothing sound of wind rustling the curtains. And then, Brock spoke.

"So where's Misty?"

At the mention of her name, Ash's head snapped up a little too fast. "She's... returning the kimono she borrowed from Joy," he said.

"Misty wore a kimono!?" Brock's tone was amused and disbelieving.

"You didn't see?" Ash blinked.

"Well, no! I was kinda busy..." Brock chuckled sheepishly. "But that's kind of strange to imagine. I bet she looked nice, though."

_She did_, Ash wanted to say. Luckily, he caught himself. He couldn't say that kind of thing about _Misty_! It was just weird. But still, she looked... _really_ nice. It caught him off guard. He didn't think a girl could look so pretty.

"Nah, she looked weird," Ash finally said. He put on a look of annoyance (which he did not have to feign) and crossed his arms to look away. Brock chuckled at the boyish act.

"Is that Ash code for 'she was purrty but I don't want to admit it'?"

"_No_," Ash bit back under clenched teeth, rather annoyed that Brock was partially right. Maybe he was acting _too_ suspicious. "I mean, I guess she looked okay. It's not a big deal."

Apparently trying to play it down wasn't his forte either, because Brock just grinned wider.

&.

The antsy feeling deteriorated within her.

"Brock," Misty called worriedly. "I think we should go look for him."

Brock realized she was worried, but simply shrugged. "I think he'll be fine, Misty. He's got Charmander to help him out, and besides, he's the one that wanted to go."

"Urgh, I know, but..." Misty chewed on her lip. This feeling of intense worry wasn't something she could describe, nonetheless find the reason for.

"In fact, you seem a little _too_ worried," Brock added.

"Huh?" Misty quickly snapped her gaze to him, caught off guard. Then she growled, with the glare of a thousand suns. "Don't you _dare_," she warned.

"I didn't say anything!" Brock said defensively, raising his hands in surrender when Misty began to seize him up. "I just said you seem a little worried!"

"Yeah, because I feel like something _bad_ has happened."

Ash listened on to the conversation, a sly grin rising on his face. He was clearly amused by Misty's embarrassment, and somewhat pleased.

_So she's really worried about me, huh_.

Ash grinned devilishly as an idea struck him.

"Brock, did you hear something?" Misty spun around in a circle, trying to find the source of the cackling she had just heard.

"I didn't hear anything."

"Well _I_ did - _ahhhhhh!_"

And suddenly, Misty felt a pair of cool arms wrap around her waist and pull her up towards the sky.

"_It's got me, Brock! THE GHOST HAS GOT ME_!"

"Oh my Mew," Brock breathed, eyeing the scene with mild horror.

"Don't just stand there!" Misty screeched, eyes clenched shut. "Do something!"

"Aww, not fun for ya, Mist?" Ash had to restrain his laughter at her horror. "Well, ride's over, then!" And just as Ash lowered her within ten feet of the ground, he let go.

Brock luckily managed to catch her on time, but he crumpled to the ground in the effort and brought Misty down with him.

Ash laughed freely and floated along with Pikachu over the tower and out into the forests, leaving Brock and Misty in confused and shock spirits.

"We're going in, Brock."

Brock didn't say another word as they both ran inside the tower of terror.

-.-

"Oh Mew, he isn't waking up!" Misty started pacing back and forth, feeling herself start to panic. What if he... actually... No, he couldn't have. He _couldn't_ have. But then what if he...

"Calm down, Misty," Brock told her. His reassuring voice quelled her rising panic, and Brock placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll call Officer Jenny and then we can take Ash to the hospital."

Somehow, the idea of the police arriving at the scene terrified Misty. It made the situation all more real, and she was still trying to accept the fact that something terrible might have happened to Ash.

"Nothing happened," Misty said, mostly to herself as she crouched back down onto the floor in front of Ash's body. "Nothing happened, he's okay. _Wake up, Ash!_"

Brock sighed and watched as Misty continually shook him, and he too felt a stab of worry for his friend. He was beginning to wonder if this situation really was worse than he thought...

"Hmm..."

And suddenly, life flooded back to Ash's cheeks. Misty felt him growth warm beneath her hand and she quickly retracted it for some strange reason. Ash opened his eyes.

"Misty?" he mumbled out, a slight smile on his face.

"Ash!" Misty cried in relief, feeling a nervous laugh escape her. And then she realized her eyelashes were wet, and she rubbed at her eyes to dry them. "Do you have any idea how _worried_ we were!?"

Brock had to repress a chuckle. _You mean how worried **she**_ _was_, he wanted to say. Instead, he too knelt down and put on a stern look. "Yeah, Ash. Don't do that again!"

"Sorry, sorry..." Ash chuckled as he sat back up, shaking his head a couple of times to readjust himself to being in his body. "It's just... Haunter and Ghastly and stuff took me out, and..."

"Haunter? That means you actually caught a ghost pokemon?" Misty questioned.

"Well..." Ash's face fell comically, and he retreated to pouting down at his shoes.

Misty sighed sadly. "I _knew_ you weren't that capable."

"I am too!"

"Are not!"

Luckily an enthused Haunter intervened at that moment, or Brock knew that argument would've last forever. Most of them did, anyway. He supposed the only thing he got out of all of this was that he was now aware of two growing love interests.

Lovely.

(Though he would have never dreamed what they've had to go through, though. Not including the two luvdisc, but himself as well.)


End file.
